1869 Student Advisement Specialist

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Student Advisement Specialist

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1869

GRADE 42

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Financial Aid Coordinator

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Student Advisement Specialist serves primarily as a broad resource and advisor for students by working individually with those facing unique challenges to the continuation of their education at Missouri State. This position shall utilize campus resources from beyond the Office of Student Financial Aid to provide a balanced service which addresses student concerns at their cause. The Student Advisement Specialist collects information from students which indicates areas of potential growth for the department and conveys it to the supervisor. Duties also include regular tasks critical to the disbursement of Title IV and private financial aid, such as disbursement of private student loans, sending and receiving data files from the US Department of Education, and R2T4 calculations.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A high school diploma or the equivalent is required.

Experience: At least one year of general counseling in a professional setting, or two years of formal general counseling education, or two years of experience in a financial aid office.

Skills: Ability to communicate calmly and effectively, both in writing and verbally, with students, family members, fellow employees, college administrators, and other constituents of the University is required. Excellent attention to detail and problem-solving skills are required. The ability to organize large volumes of work, work independently, evaluate, and determine the correct course of action is required. Must be comfortable speaking before groups of students, family members, and colleagues. Ability to relate effectively to all publics and strong organizational and time management skills are required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required. Experience with Ellucian software (Banner) is preferred.

Other: Limited after-hours work will be necessary.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Meets individually with students by phone, teleconference, or in person as determined to be appropriate for the concerns being addressed for advisement.

2. Creates instructions or objectives for students if needed to promote healthy future financial wellness within the scope of postsecondary education.

3. Reviews student financial aid information prior to consultations for an accurate account of student’s history and factors which may contribute to the present concern.

4. Gathers information from the student and other involved individuals to effectively address concerns raised by the student.

5. Applies prior knowledge of the student’s situation and knowledge of financial aid regulations to address concerns raised by the student.

6. Identifies areas of growth for the Office of Student Financial Aid based on discussions with students and constituents of the university and conveys these to the immediate supervisor.

7. Oversees the Office of Student Financial Aid appointment scheduling system, counselor line schedule, and student appointment schedule.

8. Contributes to broad-based management of the department by providing input to office policy and procedure decisions.

9. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.

10. Maintains competency and professional currency through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses required by the supervisor of the Loan Team.

11. Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Student Financial Aid by performing all other duties as assigned by the supervisor of the Loan Team.

SUPERVISION

The Student Advisement Specialist reports to the Financial Aid Coordinator.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

AUGUST 2022

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 1.0 - 500 Points: Knowledge of principles, processes, methods, and procedures associated with a limited range of healthcare, technical, scientific, administrative support, communications, or social science program objectives or common problems. Knowledge permits the employee to complete routine medical and healthcare procedures, common administrative support tasks, operate basic equipment and instruments, carry out a variety of interrelated tasks and recurring assignments, assist individuals, answer common questions, and/or elicit information from a variety of sources. Professional knowledge, skill, and technical mastery at this level are typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience beyond a high school diploma.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 1.0 - 50 Points: Typically, little, if any, supervision of others is required. The job may require irregular but occasional responsibility to direct the work of student workers and/or temporary or part-time workers. The nature of supervision is largely confined to assigning tasks to others and does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities. The amount of time spent on directing the work of others is normally a small portion of total work time.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 4.0 - 500 Points: Interactions with others are somewhat unstructured. The purpose may be to influence or motivate others, to obtain information, or to control situations and resolve problems. Interactions may be with individuals or groups of co-workers, students, or the general public, may be moderately unstructured, and may involve persons who hold differing goals and objectives. Individuals at this level often act as a liaison between groups with a focus on solving particular unstructured problems. Interactions at this level require considerable interpersonal skill and the ability to resolve conflict.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 3.0 - 500 Points: The employee operates under general supervision expressed in terms of program goals and objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Administrative supervision is given through statements of overall program or project objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are relatively comprehensive and the employee need only to fill in gaps in interpretation and adapt established methods to perform recurring activities. In unforeseen situations, the employee must interpret inadequate or incomplete guidelines, develop plans, and initiate new methods to complete assignments based on those interpretations. Assignments are normally related in function, but the work requires many different processes and methods applied to an established administrative or professional field. Problems are typically the result of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, or incomplete or conflicting data. The employee must interpret and refine methods to complete assignments. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing single-purpose programs or performing complex, but precedented, technical or professional work.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 3.0 - 850 Points: Work involves providing significant support services to others both within and outside of the department that substantially influences decision-making processes. Work activities are complex and others rely on the accuracy and reliability of the information, analysis, or advice to make decisions. Work activities have a direct, but shared, impact on further processes or services, affect the overall efficiency and image of the department, and may have material impact on costs or service quality within the cost center. Incumbents may be responsible for identifying areas of need and for developing proposals that request funding to fulfill those needs.